17 April 2023 , 15:22
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A town named the most welcoming in the UK has such a low crime rate that locals feel safe leaving their homes and cars unlocked.
Kirkwall, the largest town in Orkney - an archipelago to the north of mainland Scotland - has been dubbed the most welcoming part of Britain in a study carried out by Booking.com.
The search analysed the most welcoming places in the UK based on the highest number of positively reviewed properties in relation to their size.
A taxi driver said he once left his wallet, phone and car keys on the passenger seat of his unlocked car in Kirkwall for four days, and nobody touched anything.
Kirkwall Harbour is a great place to relax and unwind (Getty Images/RooM RF)On another occasion, he said he dropped his wallet with £850 cash at Kirkwall Airport - and a stranger handed it to the information desk so he could get it back.
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Walking through the paved streets of the town, local tour guide Brian Alexander told the MailOnline that Kirkwall's 8,500 residents are "reasonably hospitable".
Kirkwall has been a Royal Burth since 1486 - and its name comes from the Norse "Kirkjuvagr" which means "Church on the bay".
The town centre was even named Scotland's Most Beautiful High Street, winning a public vote in 2019.
The town centre was named Scotland's Most Beautiful High Street (Getty Images/iStockphoto)The town boasts a wide choice of hotels, restaurants and cafes, with a picturesque waterfront that is very popular in the summer months.
The Peedie Sea, a pond in Kirkwall, is home to swans, ducks and gulls throughout the year, with a network of paths to allow people to go for walks outside the town centre.
St Magnus Cathedral, a Romanesque cathedral, is one of Orkney's most iconic buildings and is the most visited site in the archipelago, with 200,000 visitors in 2019.
Just one hour away from Kirkwall is Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement older than Stonehenge that attracts numerous tourists every year.